Vital Lawyer Information

Vital Lawyer Information

Apart from getting to know the lawyer’s reputation as a knowledgeable lawyer with expertise in of your interest, you may want to confirm that he is a licensed lawyer and is eligible to practice in the area he or she is in. Further, it may be important for you to find out whether he/she has any traits/habits/characteristics that you do not want to deal with. For example, is he/she known for having a terrible temper which has gotten hi/her into trouble, is he/she reliable or does he/she have a reputation for delays and not keeping clients informed about their cases.

Meet with the Attorney or Lawyer

Meeting the lawyer face-to-face and discussing your case rather than having a telephone conversation is advisable. Request to meet the lawyer at no cost. This is important because when you meet someone, you are able to see how you relate with them and confirm whether you or not you are compatible. At the end of the meeting, you are in a better position to say whether or not you want to hire that particular lawyer.

Solicit information about the Lawyer

When meeting with the lawyer, ensure that you solicit all the information you need. Prior to going for the meeting, prepare your questions and take notes during the discussion. Ask how he/she intends to proceed with the case; how often will you be contacted and informed about development; what will be the medium of communication (phone calls, emails or letters) and state your preference; can you call whenever you require information, etc.

Lawyer’s fees

Hiring a lawyer costs money. Before proceeding to commit yourself, it is important to be clear on the fees and the payment schedule. You need to confirm that the fees quoted cover the entire services that will be rendered to you so that you do not receive a surprise bill. For someone who does not have a lot of money, it may also be advisable to ask the lawyer to pay some initial amount, a deposit, which will cover all the administrative work, etc and to pay the rest of the money at the end of the case.

Be truthful

A lawyer can only act on what he or she is told. It is important to be truthful when trying to solicit the services of a lawyer. If the lawyer only has half of the information, he/she may think the case is simple and will quote a certain amount as the fees which may be much more if he/she had all the facts.